SM022 – NTS OK – Winlink – Elk City 3/5

 FEBRUARY 13, 2022

NTS Oklahoma – Winlink

The National Traffic System (NTS) was designed and implemented in the 1950s to send messages from coast to coast, via amateur radio, in under 24 hours, using amateur radio. Messages are sent during fair weather days to test the system and allow operators to practice their skills. During bad weather days, disasters, or other emergencies, messages communicate information critical to saving lives or property. Additionally, health and welfare messages allow people to inquire about a disaster victim.

Oklahoma NTS moves messages over HF and VHF/UHF using voice, CW, and the Winlink messaging protocol. 

Yesterday, I talked to the South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS) group that gives an overview of traffic movement in Oklahoma, specifically how to set up the Winlink system. A link to that presentation and the PowerPoint slide deck is available on the http://ok.arrl.org/ntsoksoftware/ page.

The HF voice traffic system would love to have you join their ranks, and more information is available at http://ok.arrl.org/ntsnets/. 

The Superlink repeater system has a traffic net on Thursday evenings in the Tulsa and Northeast region. In addition, they train and practice sending messages around the country. More information on that activity is available at http://ok.arrl.org/ntslocal/. 

And the newest method to move NTS traffic is using the Winlink system on both HF and VHF. We are looking to increase the number of Winlink stations to send and receive messages to all 12 ARES regions of the state. More information is available on joining the NTSOK Winlink folks at http://ok.arrl.org/ntsok/. 

Whatever mode you choose, please join us in the NTSOK system, so you are ready for message handling when the need arises.

Elk City Hamfest

The Oklahoma Hamfest season starts with the Elk City Hamfest. On March 5th, 2022, the hamfest will be at the Beckham County Activity Center, 310 East Main St. in Sayre, OK. (Exit 23 I-40) then west on Hwy 152.

The 2022 Elk City one-page flyer is available at this link.

The doors are open Saturday from 8:00 am until ???

Admission is $5.00, and tables are available for $5.00 each. No preregistration is required. Pay at the door.

Early setup is available for Friday afternoon (3/4/22) from 1:30 pm until 8:00 pm.

VE Testing is available Saturday at 1:00 pm. Bring a photo id and a copy of your license. Preregistration is preferred at http://www.sites.google.com/view/wcoarc/pre-registration. You must have a Federal Registration Number (FRN) and a valid email. There is no fee for the exam, but the FCC license fee may be in effect.

The Sayre City Park has hookups for about a dozen RV’s.

There is plenty of parking available at the hamfest site, but no RV hookups are available there.

Contact: aa5gw.gary@gmail.com or 580-243-9848.

Talk-in on the 146.76 –offset 88.5 tone repeater or DMR on the 147.225 +offset CC1 TG 304098 machine.

Face masks will be available, but they are not required.

See you there!

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs like the Enid Amateur Radio Club (EARC) https://enidarc.org/ are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 39 clubs listed at http://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

OK.ARRL.ORG — http://ok.arrl.org/

ARESOK —  https://aresok.org/

ARRL.org —  http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/oklahoma

Blogspot —  http://arrlok.blogspot.com/

Facebook —  https://www.facebook.com/arrloklahoma

Twitter —  https://twitter.com/arrl_OK/

ARRL Member Emails —  https://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#!/edit-info-email_subscriptions

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM021 – Announcing http://ok.arrl.org/

Greetings, and I hope you are all staying warm and are making the best of the new year. To start the year off, I’d like to introduce the new ARRL Oklahoma section website,  http://ok.arrl.org/. This site houses the OK Section Manager News and publicizes ARRL activity in the entire state. Currently, there are segments for Becoming a Ham, Section Manager News, ARES/SKYWARN, NTS, Clubs, and Hamfests. The goal for this site is to become the place where you can visit or send someone for more amateur radio information anywhere in the state of Oklahoma. 

Be a Ham
Each year hundreds of folks obtain their first Technician license. This tab will help them learn what’s required, show them how, give them training assistance, and show them where they can take a license test. If your club operates an ongoing license test session, make sure we listed it on the license page, and please get in touch with us if you need some changes/additions.

Section Mgr News
The Oklahoma Section Manager newsletters are stored here. So if you missed a past issue or need to catch up on some local information, this is the place to look. 

ARES/SKYWARN
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a service that hams provide during communications emergencies. Here you will find a link to the ARES Oklahoma web page, where you can join, learn, obtain training, and more. 

The National Weather Service’s SKYWARN program is also a good way for hams to get involved with severe weather reporting. This page provides the four different regions of the NWS for the state and how you can get involved from your area.

NTS
The National Traffic System (NTS) is how amateur radio operators pass traffic during ‘blue-sky’ days and during communications emergencies. Every day Oklahoma hams pass traffic via voice, CW, and Winlink. This tab describes the local methods we use to get messages in and out of Oklahoma. You will hear more about NTS in subsequent Section Manager News reports.

Clubs
There are 40 ARRL affiliated clubs in the state, and you will be able to find one of these clubs here. If you are a club leader and notice that some information needs to be updated, please let us know.

Join ARRL
Here you can link to the ARRL membership benefits page and the page to allow you to join or renew your ARRL membership online. 

Hamfests
Oklahoma has five hamfests (or conventions) annually in Elk City, Green Country at Claremore, Oklahoma City, Ardmore, and Enid. In addition, we hold tailgate events in the Pryor and Edmond areas. This tab has links to each event, and you will find the most current information about each event here. If you have some updated information about one of these events, please make sure you contact us.

Contact Us
The contact us section has links to provide contact information for the Oklahoma Section and describes our neighboring regions. Oklahoma, along with Texas, makes up the ARRL West Gulf Division, one of the fifteen national divisions. Links to the WGD and the three Texas sections can be found on this tab. 

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors, they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 40 clubs listed at http://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

• OK.ARRL.ORG — http://ok.arrl.org/
• ARESOK —  https://aresok.org/
• ARRL.org —  http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/oklahoma
• Blogspot —  http://arrlok.blogspot.com/
• Facebook —  https://www.facebook.com/arrloklahoma
• Twitter —  https://twitter.com/arrl_OK/
• ARRL Member Emails —  https://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#!/edit-info-email_subscriptions

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM020 – Pryor Tailgate & John Stratton N5AUS

 

Pryor Tailgate

Mayes County Amateur Radio Club (MCARC) presents: the Pryor, OK Tailgate Event – Saturday, January 15, 2022 – Doors Open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the Graham Community Center, 6 North Adair Street – Pryor, OK 74361

All of the information is on the http://ok.arrl.org/hamfests/pryor/ website. They have produced a video for you to get the details that’s available at https://youtu.be/2x9IXG8EX1w

Only $5 at the door. Talk in on the 147.060 MHz repeater (-600 offset 88.5 Hz Tone) or on the 444.675 MHz machine (+5 MHz offset 88.5 Tone). 40 flea market tables are available, contact kd5jxu@gmail.com or n5yir@yahoo.com to reserve yours. Set up begins at 6:00 am on Friday, people with multi-tables will be allowed early set up on Friday, January 14 from Noon to 6 PM. D&L Antenna, Mike’s Embroidery, and amateur radio testing will be available. Concessions will be provided by the American Legion Post 240 Women’s Auxiliary. Not sure of your radio? Jon N5UUA will have a test bench set up.

And, they have a second video that talks about the raffles at https://youtu.be/5UsK2SMbLAU

John Stratton N5AUS’ Presentation

If you were unable to join the ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS at Saturday’s SCARS meeting, or you need to pick up something you missed, we have this presentation recorded for you to watch at your leisure at https://youtu.be/RNVO8SPDkV8.

As a Division Directory, John is our elected representative on the ARRL board of directors and serves on the ARRL Executive Committee and on the new Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (EC-FSC). He talked about the many changes that are happening at ARRL headquarters and what is coming down the road.

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors, they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 39 clubs listed at http://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

• OK.ARRL.ORG — http://ok.arrl.org/
• ARESOK —  https://aresok.org/
• ARRL.org —  http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/oklahoma
• Blogspot —  http://arrlok.blogspot.com/
• Facebook —  https://www.facebook.com/arrloklahoma
• Twitter —  https://twitter.com/arrl_OK/
• ARRL Member Emails —  https://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#!/edit-info-email_subscriptions

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…